POM-V Prescription Required

Cephaguard DC 150 mg Intramammary Ointment

Active ingredient: Cefquinome

Form

Cream

Species

Cattle

Manufacturer

Virbac

VMD MA No.

05653/3017

What it's used for

For the treatment of subclinical mastitis at drying off and the prevention of new bacterial infections of the udder during the dry period in the dairy cow...

Full indications, dosage and side effects ↓

View official SPC (PDF)

The prescription itself has a price. See what practices near you charge for a consultation and the written prescription fee.

Paying less for Cefquinome

1

Ask your vet for a written prescription

They must provide one on request. Under the CMA Order the fee is capped at £21 from 2027.
2

Fill it at a registered online retailer

The CMA found online pharmacies 50–60% cheaper than practice dispensing on common medicines — typically £200–£300 a year.

Your prescription rights → VMD register of retailers →

Prescription required

Your vet must provide a written prescription on request. You can then purchase from any licensed online retailer.

Clinical information

Cephaguard DC 150 mg Intramammary Ointment — SPC Details

Source: VMD Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC). Last updated 27 Mar 2026.

For the treatment of subclinical mastitis at drying off and the prevention of new bacterial
infections of the udder during the dry period in the dairy cow caused by the following
cefquinome susceptible organisms:
Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci.

Single intramammary administration of 150 mg cefquinome.
The content of one syringe should be instilled gently into the teat of each quarter,
immediately after the last milking.
Before instillation, the udder should be milked out completely. The teat and its orifice
should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected with the cleaning towel provided. Care
should be taken to avoid contamination of the injector nozzle. Gently insert either about
5mm or the total length of the nozzle and instil the content of one syringe into each
quarter. Disperse the product by gentle massage of the teat and udder.
The syringe must only be used once.

Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to cephalosporin antibiotics or other
antibiotics.
Do not use in cows with clinical mastitis (see section 3.7).
AN : 03908/2022

Cattle (dry cows):
Very rare
(<1 animal / 10,000 animals
treated, including isolated
reports):
Hypersensitivity reaction
Reporting adverse events is important. It allows continuous safety monitoring of a
veterinary medicinal product. Reports should be sent, preferably via a veterinarian, to
either the marketing authorisation holder or its local representative or the national
competent authority via the national reporting system. See the package leaflet for
respective contact details.

None.

Special precautions for safe use in the target species:
Use of the veterinary medicinal product should be based on susceptibility testing of the
bacteria isolated from the animal. If it is not possible, therapy should be based on local
(regional, farm level) epidemiological information about susceptibility of the target
bacteria.
Do not use the cleaning towel on teats with lesions.
In case of erroneous use during lactation the milk should be discarded for 35 days.
The efficacy of the veterinary medicinal product is only established against the
pathogens mentioned in section 3.2 “Indications for use”. Consequently, serious acute
mastitis (potentially fatal) due to other pathogen species, mainly
aeruginosa, can occur after the drying off. Good hygienic practices should be thoroughly
respected in order to reduce that risk; cows should be housed in a hygienic paddock far
from the milking parlour and regularly checked several days after drying off.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal
product to animals:
Penicillins and cephalosporins may cause hypersensitivity (allergy) following injection,
inhalation, ingestion or skin contact. Hypersensitivity to penicillins may lead to cross
sensitivity to cephalosporin and vice versa. Allergic reactions to these substances may
occasionally be serious.
Do not handle this veterinary medicinal product if you know you are sensitised to
penicillins or cephalosporins, or if you have been advised not to work with such
preparations.
Handle this veterinary medicinal product with great care to avoid exposure. Personal
protective equipment consisting of impervious gloves should be worn when handling the
veterinary medicinal product. Wash exposed skin after use.
If you develop symptoms following exposure, such as skin rash, you should seek
medical advice and show the package leaflet or the label to the physician. Swelling of
the face, lips and eyes or difficulty in breathing are more serious symptoms and require
urgent medical attention. Persons developing a reaction after contact with the veterinary
AN : 03908/2022
medicinal product should avoid handling the product (and other cephalosporin and
penicillin containing products) in future.
Wash hands after using the towels and wear protective gloves if skin irritation due to
isopropyl alcohol is known or suspected. Avoid contact with eyes because isopropyl
alcohol can cause eye irritation.
Special precautions for the protection of the environment:
Not applicable.

See section 4.2 with regard to cross-resistance in the cephalosporin group.
The neutralizing effect of bacteriostatic acting pharmaceuticals (macrolides,
sulfonamides and tetracyclines) on bactericidal effect of cefquinome has not been
AN : 03908/2022
evaluated yet. Therefore there is no information about the safety and efficacy of this kind
of association.

Do not store above 25 C.

Meat and offal: 2 days.
Milk: 1 day after calving when dry period is more than 5 weeks.
36 days after treatment when dry period is 5 weeks or less.
4.

This information is sourced from the official Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). It is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice. Always consult your vet before administering any medication.